Table Top Gaming

Table top gaming is a hobby and love, no, passion of mine. For those of you reading this who don't know what table top gaming is, the widest and most inclusive definition would be gaming that uses physical materials (as opposed to electronic ones) and is played on a table (as opposed to on a computer, game console, or other electronic device). This includes board games, card games, role playing games (Dungeons & Dragons, etc.), as well as other types of games.

When mentioning board games, people always think of the "go to" classic games like Monopoly, Clue, and Scrabble, etc. While these are great games and I enjoy playing them, they are only the surface of a much deeper and much richer world. Card games like poker, bridge, etc. are competitive and bring a familiar gaming platform that everyone loves some aspect of. And as for Role Playing Games (RPGs), there are many different systems, styles, and genres out there, all of which "bring something to the table".

I feel that Table Top Games (TTGs) are a much more rewarding gaming platform than video and electronic gaming. It is not only fun, but puts you face to face with your fellow players. Whether your playing cooperatively or versus one another, the social aspect is far superior to that of the faceless anonymity of the internet. Now don't take this to mean that I don't enjoy or even play video or electronic games, I DO! In fact I even host my own Minecraft server and find myself on many Console or PC games (like StarCraft 2) from time to time. It is just that I have found over my years of gaming that I feel more connected to people when I am sitting next to them, and not talking to them over a mic.

For these reasons, I focus most of my gaming time on TTGs, and even have a room in my home dedicated to the hobby. Much like a woodworkers’ shop or a mechanics garage, I find myself spending most of my free time there playing or working on some aspect or another of the hobby. Whether it's unboxing a new game, working on a D&D campaign, hosting a Game Night, or DMing on D&D Night, I love the time I spend there and look forward to each and every time I am there.